Gone are the days of Kate’s accidental fashion choices. Sure, she was never an easy-flowing fasionista, but then neither were her look completely studied.
The desire to change is balanced by necessity and – in Kate’s extreme case – by the expectations that have been placed on her in 22/23 by the royal family and – by extension – the British public.
How the expectations of a future Queen has shifted since Elizabeth’s golden era of stability and the great promise, disappointment and eventual tragedy of Diana’s time. And how the royals have learned from these experiences to craft an image of Kate that is highly stylized, conservative, and also revealing of the kind of women Kate needs to appeal to.
What has been less documented has been the reasons behind each specific style move. Kate unanimous vote in favour of single-toned business suits and no-frills decorum speaks to the successes of Elizabeth in being a relatively straight forward example, and the complex series of events that made Diana a style icon but also victim of the clothes she wore.
But how can this help us determine what Kate will wear in the future? And why is it important to do so?
In terms of the why, Kate’s choices prove useful in understanding the tastes of a demographic Kate wants to cater to – young female professionals – whilst also providing an indicator, in reflexion, of how Kate, with her highly calculated approach, a personal dresser and presumably legions of analysts, will look to shape her visual appeal and therefore, potentially, the way women dress.
The first most significant thing is the fact that Kate will probably continue to dress conservatively and professionally until she ineviatbly becomes queen. Complexity comes in the fact that Sarah Burton has left Alexander McQueen. While ot makes sense for Kate to continue her relationships with the Biritsh brand, now managed and owned by powwerhouse Kering, it may be that Kate will look to move away from her exclsuive relationship with the brand – Burbery and Victoria Beckham would be next in line as British stalwarts.
Expect the reintroduction of some flair to Kate’s wardrobe. As a slim and tall brunette, it’s easy to see the appeal and high impact of high contrast forms of dress that lack any embellishments or ostentation. But Kate has a history pre-marriage of dressing with greater use of colours and materials. The pre-coronation waa was also a time of some experimentation with (name) shoes that proved a social media disaster and cause of some conspiracies.